Summary & Question-answers of The Poem : 8- The Trees with the concerned video

The Trees Summary

The poet talks about trees symbolically. They refer to women who have been healed and are ready to move out of their houses to fulfil their primary purpose – to renew the forest of mankind. As women have remained indoors, the forest has become empty, the birds and insects rendered shelterless. The Sun’s rays do not have the tree trucks and leaves to fall upon and thus, reach the earth. She says that the forest will be full of trees the next morning. The roots of the trees are working hard to separate from the floor of the veranda where they have remained fixed. The leaves and branches are moving towards the glass windows. They are desperate to move out just like a newly discharged patient who has not recovered completely, moves to the exit door of the hospital in a hurry. The poet is sitting in her house with the doors of the veranda open. She is writing letters but does not mention this movement of the trees. It is night time, the sky is clear and a bright moon is visible. She can smell the leaves and lichen which seem to be calling out desperately. She hears the glass of the window pane breaking. The trees are moving out and the fast blowing wind embraces them.  As the trees have reached the forest, the tall and strong oak tree overshadows the moon and it seems that the moon has been broken into several pieces.

Q1-(1) Find, in the first stanza, three things that cannot happen in a treeless forest?

Ans: The three things mentioned in the first stanza that cannot happen in a treeless forest are:

Birds sitting on the tree branches.

The hiding of insects in the branches of trees

The sun burying its feet in the shadow of the trees in the forest.

 (2) What picture do these words create in your mind: “… sun bury its feet in shadow…”? What could the poet mean by the sun’s ‘feet?’

Ans: The sun’s feet are the rays of sun that reach the earth after falling on the leaves of the trees and finally, reach the earth’s surface.

Q2- (1) Where are the trees in the poem? What do their roots, their leaves, and their twigs do?

Ans: The trees are in the poet’s house. The roots are working hard to remove themselves from the cracks of veranda. The leaves are making an effort to reach towards the glass in order to come out and the twigs are making attempts to set themselves free and reach the forest.

(2) What does the poet compare their branches to?

Ans: The poet uses the word long cramped for the branches. She says that the branches are trying hard to come out of the roof. She then compares them with newly discharged patients who are trying to move out in their half consciousness.

Q3- (1) How does the poet describe the moon: (a) at the beginning of the third stanza, and (b) at its end? What causes this change?

Ans: The poet describes the moon as a full moon in the beginning of the third stanza but at the end of the stanza, she describes it to be broken into pieces. The change in the moon is because of the trees. The trees that earlier were in the poet’s house have now reached the forest. Their long branches have cast a shadow on the full moon and now it appears to be broken into pieces like a mirror.

 

(2) What happens to the house when the trees move out of it?

Ans: The house becomes silent as the fragrance of the leaves and lichens which was like a voice urging for a change can no longer be smelt.

(3) Why do you think the poet does not mention “the departure of the forest from the house” in her letters? (Could it be that we are often silent about important happenings that are so unexpected that they embarrass us? Think about this again when you answer the next set of questions.) ?

Ans: The poet did not mention the departure of the forest from her house because it is a part of human nature to ignore the important matters of their life. We all know that trees are so important for our survival on earth. But still human beings are cutting them for making profits without even thinking of the aftermath.

Summary & Question-answers of The Chapter: 5- Tansen with the concerned video

Tansen – Summary

This is the story of the famous Indian musician named, Tansen. He was the only child of singer Mukandan Mishra.They lived in the village Behat near Gwalior. Tansen was a naughty but wise and talented child. One day, in the forest, Swami Haridas found Tansen roaring like a tiger. Then, Tansen started learning music from him. He learnt music for eleven years and became a great singer afterwards. His father’s last wish was to send Tansen to Mohammed Ghaus of Gwalior. There, Tansen got married to Hussaini. Soon after Tansen became a famous Musician.He became the official singer in Emperor Akbar’s court. Being a favourite of Akbar, he was a victim of jealousy of the few courtiers. Courtiers even planned to kill Tansen. Shaukat Mian, a courtier in Akbar’s court requested Akbar to make Tansen sing Raga Deepak.

Tansen knew that Raga Deepak could produce heat around the singer and turn him into ashes  and Raga Megh could bring Rain. So, he prepared his daughter Saraswati and her friend Rupvati to sing Raga Megh in the court.

The girls sang Raga Megh when fire spread out near Tansen and lamps were alighted as per the plan. Tansen’s life was saved when drops of rain fell down on him. After this incident Tansen became sick. Akbar punished the courtiers. Tansen recovered from his illness and people rejoiced and celebrated his recovery.Questions and Answers

1. Why did Swami Haridas say Tansen was ‘talented’?

A.Swami said so because of his skills to make different sounds.

2. Why did Akbar ask Tansen to join his court?

A. Akbar asked Tansen to join his court because he was impressed by his singing.

3. How do we know that Akbar was fond of Tansen? Give two reasons.

A. Akbar was fond of Tansen because he used to call him for singing in his court very often. Secondly, when his courtiers expressed distrust in his singing, Akbar was full of trust that Tansen could sing anything.

4. What did the other courtiers feel about Tansen?

A They felt jealous of him.

5. (i) What happens if Raga Deepak is sung properly?

A. It produces heat which can burn everything.

(ii) Why did Tansen’s enemies want him to sing the Raga?

A.They wanted him to sing Raga Deepak because they didn’t like him and wanted to get rid of him.

6. Why did Tansen agree to sing Raga Deepak?

A. He agreed to sing Raga Deepak because he didn’t want to say no to the Emperor. He didn’t want to displease him. So he agreed to keep his master’s trust.

7. (i) What steps did he take to save himself?

A. He trained his daughter and her friend to sing Raga Megh. He also instructed them to sing the Raag when the lamps would be lit.

(ii) Did his plan work? How?

A. Yes, his plan worked well.The girls started singing just as planned and rain showers came and he was saved.

Summary & Question-answers of The Poem:4- Where do all the Teachers Go ? with the concerned video

Summary

For young kids, a teacher is an extraordinary special person.

It is difficult for a small child to accept that a teacher is also any common man or woman living around him. The child wonders and questions if teachers also behave like other people, If they also do all the work or things, other people do? Like do they live in houses, do they wear pyjamas (clothes), wash socks or watch T.V? Do they also have parents and children to live with? All these questions bother a child’s mind and out of curiosity, one day the child decides to follow his teachers to keep a check  and to write a poem about them  so that the teachers read that poem to their students.It shows the cuteness, purity, curiosity and dilemma a young mind has for his teachers. It also shows their expectations.

Answer these questions.

(i) Why does the poet want to know where the teachers go at four o’clock

A. The poet wants to know this because he has a curiosity to know if his teachers are also ordinary human bein

(ii) What are the things normal people do that the poet talks about

A. The  things done by normal people are: wearing clothes,wasting time,losing religious books,stealing chocolates,having parents and children,washing clothes,watching TV set.

(iii) What does he imagine abou

(a) where teachers live

(b) what they do at home

(c) the people with whom they live

(d) their activities when they were children in school

A.He imagines if the teachers live in house

He imagines if they also wash their clothes and watch TV at home

He imagines if they also have parents and children to live with them

He imagines if they also did mischiefs and were punished

(iv) Why does the poet wonder if teachers also do things that other people do

A.He wonders because his tender mind considers teacher as a superbeing or God like creatur

(v) How does the poet plan to find out? What will he do once he finds out

A. The poet plans to find out whether teachers are ordinary human beings by spying or following them on their way home after school hours.Once he finds out, he will write a poe

2. What do you think these phrases from the poem mean

(i) punished in the corner (ii) leave their green

A.(i) punished in the corner means to get punishment after doing a mischi

(ii) leave their greens means to not to eat green vegetables?

Summary & Question-answers of The Chapter:5-The Summit Within with the concerned video

The Summit Within- Summary

The Summit Within begins with the author expressing how he felt as he stood at the summit of Everest. Despite the physical exhaustion, the serene view made him feel multiple emotions, the dominant of which was humility. He believes that a man who has been to the mountains is never the same before. He further talked about climbing the summit of the mind once he had climbed the summit of Everest. As soon as he got rid of his physical exhaustion, his mind started wondering as to why people climb mountains. Most people would simply say, “Because it is there” but the author had a more personal answer to the question. He had always been fascinated by the mountains and would get miserable on being away from them. He mentions how the obstacles in climbing a mountain are physical. A climb to a summit means endurance, persistence and will power. He talks about another question that is, “Why Everest?”, simply because it’s the highest and mightiest. No wonder how difficult the passage is upwards, the sense of fulfillment, excitement, joy and satisfaction while standing on the top of the summit is incomparable. The experience is other-worldly. He says that there is no perfect answer to the question as to why he climbed Everest. He compared it to why people breathe. He explains how fellow climbers help each other in fulfilling this conquest. Famous climbers have left records of help without which they would have given up. Standing on the summit makes you realise that the struggle was worthwhile. The view motivates you to rise above your current situations. It provides a means for communion with God. On the highest peak, he explains how you bow down and make your submission to the god you worship. The group had left pictures and relics of the gods they believed in. He then continues talking about the other summit, the summit within which is harder to climb. But any climb, regardless of physical or spiritual, holds the capacity to change you completely. He expresses that having successfully climbed the Everest has given him the strength to face life’s problems and that climbing a summit, internal or that of a mountain, is a worthwhile experience.

Working With the Text (Page 81)

Question 1:
Answer the following questions.
(i) What are the three qualities that played a major role in the author’s climb?
Answer:
The three qualities that ensured the success of the author were ‘endurance, persistence and will power’.

(ii) Why is adventure, which is risky, also pleasurable?
Answer:
Mountain climbing is a great adventure but is also risky. It is a great challenge and a doing challenging job is in itself pleasurable. It gives immense joy to the doers.

(iii) What was it about Mount Everest that the author found irresistible?

Answer:
Mount Everest attracted the author because it is the highest, the mightiest and has defied many previous attempts. It takes the last ounce of one’s energy.

(iv) One does not do it (climb a high peak) for fame alone. What does one do it for, really?
Answer:
Conquering summit is a great physical achievement. But more than that, it gives the climber the emotional and spiritual satisfaction. It satisfies man’s eternal love for adventure.
(v) “He becomes conscious in a special manner of his own smallness in this large universe”. This awareness defines an emotion mentioned in the first paragraph. Which is the emotion?
Answer:
That emotion is ‘humility’.

(vi) What were the ‘symbols of reverence’ left by members of the team on Everest?

Answer:
The author left on Everest a picture of Guru Nanak. Rawat left a picture of Goddess Durga. Phu Durgi left a relic of the Buddha. Edmund Hillary, being a Christian, buried a Cross under the rock. All these were symbols of reverence for God.

(vii) What according to the writer, did his experience as an Everester teach him?
Answer:
The experience of having conquered Mount Everest changed him completely. It made him realise his own smallness.

Summary & Question-answers of The Chapter:5-A Different Kind of School with the concerned video

A Different Kind of School Summary

The narrator had heard a lot of good things about Miss Beam and her school. Miss Beam was known for using simple teaching methods in a perfect way.

The narrator visited the school. He posed some questions to the teacher. She told him that she taught nothing special but simple calculations and writing.The boys and girls were taught how to do things independently without any help.Few things were read to them.Interesting talks were held to raise their interest.The main objective and aim of the school was to make students more thoughtful and responsible citizens.

The narrator went to the school gardens which were beautifully maintained.There, he noticed a poor little girl being helped by a boy.He also saw a girl with a crutch.He thought the one was blind and the other was lame. But Miss Beam explained that the school observes one blind, one lame, one deaf, one injured and one dumb day for every child in a term. These activities make the children more thoughtful and concerned.

On the blind day eyes were bandaged of one child and other children helped the blind throughout the day.This game became a great learning for both the blind and their helpers.Thereafter, Miss Beam took the narrator to one of the bandaged girls. The girl shared her feelings and learning with him. She related how she felt scared of being hit at every moment and this feeling was the most painful one. After this experience the narrator realized that he had also developed a concerned attitude towards the disabled. He told Miss Beam that he was sorry to leave her school. She felt happy to know that the system in her school was good and her teaching style and way of imparting values was marvellous.

 Answer the following questions:

1. Why do you think the writer visited Miss Beam’s school ?

Ans: The writer visited Miss Beam’s school because he had heard a great deal about the school.

2. What was the ‘game’ that every child in the school had to play ?

Ans: The ‘game’ that every child in the school had to play was that each term every child had one blind day, one lame day, one deaf day, one injured day and one dumb day

3. “Each term every child has one blind day, one lame day…” Complete the line. Which day was the hardest? Why was it the hardest? 

Ans: “Each term every child has one blind day, one lame day, one deaf day, one injured day and one dumb day.” The dumb day was the hardest because the children’s mouths could not be bandaged, so they really had to exercise their will power to remain silent.

4. What was the purpose of these special days ?

Ans: The purpose of these special days was to teach the children thoughtfulness – kindness to others, and how to be responsible citizens. These days make the children appreciate and understand misfortune by making them share in the misfortune of others.

Speech on Independence Day

On this propitious day, I – C.M. Singh– the principal of this school would want to extend special thanks to our hon’ble chief guest and the parents of our students for their warm presence and joining us in the celebration. But before we kick start the celebration, please allow me to say a few words to address the occasion.

Students, I want you to know that this freedom is hard won by our great freedom fighters when they had not only shed their blood, but also sacrificed their lives and family. So we should value this freedom to the utmost and never take it for granted. We celebrate this day because it was a historic moment for all the Indians, but amidst all this celebration there is something that ought to be done first and foremost, i.e. paying homage to our great freedom fighters, such as Mahatma Gandhi, Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Subhash Chandra Bose, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Dadabhai Naoroji, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Lala Lajpat Rai, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, including a lot more.

These were illustrious personalities who were known for their great sense of fortitude, perseverance, patience, courage and what not. It is on the basis of their sheer mental strength that they could withstand the stormy time period of our Independence Day struggle. If we weren’t blessed with such great personalities, winning back our country’s freedom would have been a far cry for sure. They experienced humiliation, physical as well as mental torture at the hands of the Britishers, but still they did not buzz and continued to oppose both the foreign British policy as well as their rule.

Thus, it is extremely important not to overlook the struggling period of those times which our predecessors had to put up with and rather value this freedom and think critically in what way we can make the best use of this freedom and make our country proud globally. We should consider ourselves fortunate enough to have been born in the free, independent nation when we can give wings to our imagination and all our desires; when we are not subjugated to the despotic, tyrannical rule of the Britishers.

However, we have responsibilities to shoulder and further work for the betterment of our nation. We are still in a progressive stage and are not counted amongst the category of developed nations. So we have a far way to go and let us vow not to let go waste the sacrifices of our forefathers. We have to realize the dreams of our ancestors of making India a developed nation which is free from corruption and all the social evils. Let us cultivate a vision for our motherland and work towards realizing that vision where everyone has equal opportunities; where our women can feel safe and where no child is deprived of at least basic education.

Let us work towards a better tomorrow; this is all I have to say.

Thank you so much everyone!

Summary & Question-answers of The Chapter:4-The Old Clock Shop with the concerned video

The Old-Clock Shop Summary

It was Christmas eve and was closing time for shops.  An old-clock shop owner, Ray was still working on a clock. Two men, one in his twenties and one in his fifties entered Ray’s shop. Ray gave them a notepad and a pencil telling them that he was deaf and dumb through his sign language. Ray noticed that the man had a gun in his pocket. He thought that he had come to his shop to rob him. Understanding their  dire need of money, Ray told the old man that he exchanged good sum of money with people against their watches or wall clocks. He did this for goodwill and not in want of earning interest or security against the things.

That old man showed his old wrist watch to Ray and Ray in return offered him a fifty dollar note. Both of them knew in their hearts that the watch was not of that high a price.But this made the man happy as he got money without hurting Ray and Ray also escaped from being hurt. Before leaving, the old man wrote to Ray that he would be back soon to get his watch.

The story concluded peacefully, giving a sweet and simple message of  “Peace on earth and goodwill towards all”.

Page No 14:

Question 1:

What made Ray think the visitor was not really a shopper?

Answer:

Ray saw two men, one in his twenties, the other closer to fifty, enter his shop. The younger one remained at the door. The older man approached the counter with no sign of friendliness in his eyes. On paying attention, Ray noticed the shape of a gun and a restless hand in the man’s right coat packet. This made Ray think that the visitor was not really a shopper.

Question 2:

Why do you think he had come to the shop?

Answer:

The man was down on his luck and had come to rob Ray’s shop.

Question 3:

How did Ray communicate with him?

Answer:

Ray was old and deaf. He communicated with the man with the help of a pencil and a notepad.

Question 4:

What do you think the man said to his friend who waited at the door?

Answer:

There was a look of surprise on the older man’s face when he came to know that Ray was deaf. He would have passed on this information to his younger friend standing at the door. Also, he might have discussed with him what they needed to do next.

Question 5:

Ray was not a pawnbroker. Why then did he lend money to people in exchange for their old watches and clocks?

Answer:

Ray was not a pawnbroker, but at the same time he could not say no to the needy people who placed their old watches or clocks before him for anything they could get. Therefore, he lent them money.

Question 6:

“The watch was nothing special and yet had great powers.” In what sense did it have ‘great powers’?

Answer:

The watch was nothing special, but it had great powers because it was something to exchange, a way out of a bad situation. It saved the two men from doing something they would later be sorry for.

Question 7:

Do you think the man would ever come back to pick up the watch?

Answer:

Yes, the man would come back to pick up the watch. He himself said that he would be back to pick it up as soon as he could. It was not necessary for him to say so, but he did. Therefore, we can say that he would be true to his word.

Question 8:

When did “the unfriendly face” of the visitor turn truly friendly?

Answer:

The “unfriendly face” of the visitor turned truly friendly when Ray offered him a way out by accepting the old watch for fifty dollars. Both knew that the watch was not worth that much.